Hip splint



NOV. l2, -B. Wl CULVER Er AL HIP SPLINT v Filed July 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 12, 1935. B, w cULvER E1- AL I 2,020,399

HIP SPLINT Filed July 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ntlznturs Nov. 12, 1935. B. w. cum/ER l-:r Al.

HIP SPLINT Filed July 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 0 0000 0 0 0 0 0 0 000nUv0000000000000-u00w 00 Patented Nov. 12, 1935 FA'ENT .OFFICEV HIP SPLINT Bert W. Culver and Charles J. Carlisle, Coldwater, Mich.

Application July 5, 1934, .Serial No. 733,911

8 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to a .splint designed primarily for use in the treatment vof fractures of the neck and great trochanter of the femur.

It is an .obieet of the invention -to provide a `light :but eicient structure which can be reversed readily for use on either the right or left femur of the patient, there being means embodied in the structure for holding the fractured bones in the best apposition whereby traction, abduction and .'.eversion or "inversion are provided for.

Astill further object to provide a splint of this character which yallows the patient to be moved without changing the position in which the limb .has been placed and without pain or discomfort to With the foregoing and other objects in `View l which will appear as `the description proceeds, 'the invention consists Aof certain novel details of constructionand combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it Vbeing understood that `changes Vmay be made 'in the construction and arrangement of Aparts without Adeparting vfrom the spiritY ofthe invention as claimed.

'Inthe accompanying 'drawings the preferred forms ofthe invention have been shown.

In said drawings Figure 'l is a plan View of the splint. Figure 2 is an elevation of one side vof the splint.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the opposite side thereof AFigure `4 `isla section 4on line V4 4, Figure r3,. Figure 5 is as'ectionon line 5 5, Figure 3. Figur-e Jv6 is :an 'enlarged' section on :line B B, Figure 1.

Figure lis a Section online 1 1, Figure 6.

Figure 8 'is an enlarged section on 'line 8 8, Figure l.

Figure 9 is a section on line9 9, Figure 8. Figure "L0 is a section on line {Il H), Figure 1. YFig-'ure 11 is fa section on line lI I i 1| Figure 10. Figure I2 a plan view of one side portion of Va slightly modied form of splint.

Figure 13 is a side `elevation lof the structure Ashown in Figure I2.

Figure 14 is a section online 'l 4 14, Figure 13. Referring to the Iigures by Vcharacters of reference, l designates adjustably -connected lapping members one of which is .slotted longitudinally as at 2 to receive clamping bolts 3 extending from the other member. Each of these members Yhas a downturned end portion 4 so that the mem- A5 bers thus cooperate to form a bridge for straddling the body of the patient.

One of the ends his detachably connected to a side plate 5 by means of bolts 6 or the like and to the innersurface oi this side plate -i-s secured 10 a body plate 'l which is preferably perforated to permit free circulation of air and shaped to conform substantially to -the .contour of the body.

Plate 5 has a lug 8 extended from one end which is lapped by a lug 9 located at one end l5 of a side bar i3. This sidebar `has a socket Il in its other end in which is seated one end vof a rod i2 which can be held vin place detachably by a set screw I3. A clamping screw I4 is seated within the lapping lugs 8 and 9 and by loosening 20 this screw the bar il! can be adjusted angularly relative to plate 5. However when the screw is tightened these parts cannot shift.

Bar. lil'is preferably at on its inner side and can be provided with one or more openings I6 for 25 the reception of straps or the like whereby the uninjured leg ofthe patient can be secured to the bar.

Rod l2 is L-shaped as shown particularly in Figure 1, and on that portion thereof constitut- 30 ing an extension of bar I0 there is mounted a sleeve l 1 adapted to be adjusted along. the bar and to be held in any desired position by a set screw i8. This sleeve has a laterally extending pin I9 on which is mounted a sleeve 2|! extending from 35 the back of afoot plate 2| and a resilient tongue 22. is connected to the bottom end of the foot `plate `and extends therefrom substantially at right angles as shown in Figure 3. This Vtongue constitutes a foot for resting on a supporting surface.

A set screw 23 is carried bythe sleeve 20 and is adapted to engage pin i9 for the purpose of .holding the `foot plate 2l against movement on Y 29 which embraces `the split portion of the rod as shown in Figure 10 so as to reinforce the rod '55 and at the same time produce the necessary clamping action.

Pivotally connected to the forked end 26 of pin 25 is a rod 30 bent to form a stirrup 3| one side portion y32 of which is extended into a tubular side bar 33. This side bar is split as at 34 and embraced by a clamp 35 similar to clamp 29. Thus by tightening the clamp the split tubular bar can be caused to bind upon the side portion 32 of the stirrup so that the parts will be held against relative movement.

The other end of bar 33 has a lug 36 pivotally connected thereto as at 31 and this lug is lapped by another lug 38 at one end of a side plate 39. Bolts 4E! are used for detachably connecting side plate 39 to the adjacent downturned end 4 'of one of the bridge members I.. A binding screw 42 engages the lapping lugs 36 and 38 and is alined axially with the screw I4. By tightening screw 42 the two lugs 3B and 38 will be held against relative rotation but by loosening the screw it becomes possible to swing bar 33 and plate 39 about the axis of the screw.

Formed on bar 33 between its ends and extending longitudinally thereof are diametrically opposed ribs 43 constituting rails. A carriage 44 straddles the inner side portion of bar 33 and has upper and lower pairs of wheels 45 which engage the upper and lower surfaces of the rails 43 so as thus to guide the carriage longitudinally of bar 33. To the inner side of this carriage at the center thereof is connected a supporting pin 43 the intermediate portion of which is offset downwardly as at 41 while the lower end portion 48 of the pin is extended into a block 49 projecting downwardly from a yoke 50. Secured within this yoke is a leg supporting plate 5I formed of light metal and shaped substantially to conform to the contour of that portion of the leg to be treated. This plate can be perforated as shown so as to permit free circulation of air. A set screw 52 is seated in the block 49 and is adapted to engage the end portion 48 of pin 46 so as to hold the plate 5I at any desired angle relative to the side bar 33.

As the offset portion 41 imparts a crank-like contour to pin 46 it will be understood that this pin can be loosened at its point of connection with the carriage 44 and adjusted angularly relative to the carriage so as to raise or lower plate 5I relative to bar 33.

Extending from that end of the leg plate 5I remote from the bridge members I is a bail 53 the intermediate or transverse portion 54 of which extends across a backing strip 55 which is riveted or otherwise attached to the bail. Secured in this backing strip and the adjacent portion of the bail is one end portion of a screw 56 the other end portion of which is Vengaged by a turnbuckle 51 carried by a threaded stem 58 which is slidable within the intermediate portion of stirrup 3|. A nut 59 is adjustably mounted on the free end p-ortion of stem 58 and bears against one end of a compression spring 69 the other end of which bears against the stirrup 3l.

The lower end of the backing plate 55 is bent to provide a supporting shoulder 6I which is engaged by the heel portion of a foot plate 62. This foot plate can be made of wood or any other suitable material and is adapted to be held to the backing plate 55 by a screw 63 carrying a nut 34. A slot 65 extends downwardly into the upper end of plate 55 and opens into the intermediate portion of a transverse slot 66. Screw 63 is adapted to be inserted into these slots so as to cause the heel portion of the foot plate to rest on shoulder 6 I. The slots permit lateral adjustment of the foot plate to any desired angle while resting on the shoulder and after such adjustment the nut 64 can be tightened to hold the foot plate 5 in proper position.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9 the back face of the foot plate can be cut away to form transverse recesses or channels 61 for receiving adhesive tape or the like used for attaching the foot 10 of the injured leg to the foot plate.

For the purpose of holding carriage 44 and its lower wheels 45 out of contact with the surface on which the splint is mounted, an elongated runner 68 is extended under bar 33 and has upturned 15 ends 69 terminating in sleeves 10 through which bar 33 extends. One of these sleeves has a set screw 1I whereby it can be held fixedly against movement relative to the bar.

In Figures l2 to 14vinclusive there has been 20 shown a slightly modiiied construction of one portion of the splint. Instead of providing bar 33 with side ribs forming rails 43', the side bar 12, as shown in these figures, can be formed with spaced cross-heads 13 connected by upper and 25 lower parallel rods 14. A carriage 15 is interposed between these rods and has grooved wheels 16 adapted to straddle and travel along the rods. The pin 11 carrying yoke V18 and leg plate 19 can be the same as those already described and 30 the runner 80 can be also similar to runner 68 and positioned where it can extend under the cross-heads as shown in Figure 13.

Assuming that the right femur of the patient Y is to be treated, the frame is first assembled as 35 shown in vFigure 1. Those parts of the splint which fit against the body or leg are thoroughly padded and the bridge members I are placed across the body so that the joints formed at the screws I4 and 42 will aline with the hip joints. 40 The foot on the uninjured leg is placed against the foot plate 2I which is of course adjusted to such a position as' to permit the left leg to lie fully' extended. The left foot and leg are then bound to the plate 2I and bar I0 while 45 the plates 1 and 39 are also tightly bound to the body, adhesive tape being used for this purpose. The injured leg is placed on the plate 5I to which it isv firmly secured by means of adhesive tape, it being understood that the bar 50 I2-24 and the stirrup' 3I are all rst adjusted to bring bar 33 at the proper angle for treatment. After the leg has thus been secured, the foot of the injured leg being securely taped to plate 62 which has been adjusted to the cor- 55 rect angle, the turnbuckle 51 is rotated so as to place spring 60 under increased compression. Thus the spring will exert a pull upon the leg so that the leg will be maintained under proper tension to hold the fracture in correct position 60 for healing. Movement of the leg plate and its load is permitted by the carriage mounted for travel on bar 33.

It is to beV understood that a splint such as described allows the patient to be rolled over on 65 the well side and also allows the patient to assume a sitting position, it being merely necessary 'in the latter case'to loosen the screws I4 and 42 until the patients body has been raised and then to tighten the screws. As the bars I0 and 70 I2 are extended straight from the body and are not angularly disposed as is the bar 33, they will not interfere with the rolling of the patient onto the well side.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the splint can be quickly reversed for the treatment of the left femur. vAll that is required is the detachment of the bridge members I from plates 5 and 39 and their replacement at the opposite sides of the plates. Sleeve 20 is detached from pin I9 and the foot plate 2| reversed on said pin while block i9 is slid oi of pin 46, leg plate 5I reversed, and the block replaced on the pin and secured. The pin can obviously be adjusted about its point of connection with the carriage as before explained. Runner 68 must of course be swung around to a position opposite to that shown. The foregoing adjustments are all that are required to reverse the splint.

The entire structure can be made of aluminum or a light aluminum alloy and can be conveniently handled. VIt can be used without causing objectionable discomfort to the patient and after being once adjusted and set will hold the fractured part in proper position at all times until the completion of the treatment.

What is claimed is:

1. A splint including body engaging members, a reversible and adjustable bridging connection between said members, separate side bars adjustably connected to the respective members, reversible means connected to one of the bars for attachment to the foot of the uninjured leg of a patient, reversible means carried by and movable longitudinally of the other bar for attachment to and for supporting the injured leg of a patient, an adjustable connection between the side bars, and an adjustable tension means connected to the movable leg supporting means.

2. A splint including body engaging plates, a reversible and adjustable bridging connection between the plates, side bars adjustably connected to the respective plates, a connection between the bars for adjusting one of the bars laterally relative to the other bar, a reversible leg supporting element movable in the direction of the length of the laterally -adjustable bar and supported thereby, and adjustable means for yieldingly drawing said leg supporting element toward one end of its supporting bar.

3. A splint including members for attachment yto the body of a patient, an adjustable bridging plate adjustably connected to said means, and a tension device connected to said means for exerting a p-ull thereon in one direction,

4. A reversible splint including side bars, means for connecting them to the body of a patient, a

reversible member adjustably mounted on one of the bars for attachment to one foot o! a patient, a support engaging element extending therefrom, reversible means movable longitudinally of the other bar for attachment to the other foot of a patient, adjustable tension means for exerting a pull upon the last named foot engaging means, and a reversible runner carried by one of the bars.

5. A splint including members for attachment to the body of a patient, a frame connected thereto for angular adjustment, said frame including side bars, a connection between the bars for adjusting one of the bars laterally, a carriage mounted to travel upon the laterally adjustable bar, leg engaging and supporting means movable with the carriage, an adjustable tension device for exerting a pull upon said leg engaging means, and means upon the other bar for engagement by and attachment to the foot of the other leg of the patient.

6. A splint including members for attachment to the body of a patient, a frame connected thereto for angular adjustment, said frame including side bars, a connection between the bars for adjusting one of the bars laterally, a carriage mounted to travel upon the laterally adjustable bar, leg engaging and supporting means movable with the carriage, an adjustable tension device for exerting a pull upon said leg engaging means, means upon the other bar for engagement by and attachment to the foot of the other leg of the patient, said leg and foot engaging means being reversible relative to the bars, and reversible means for supporting the bars and the leg and foot engaging means out of contact with the supporting surface.

7. In a splint a frame for attachment to the body and legs of a patient including bars adjustably connected at one end and a rigid body bridging member secured at its ends to the bars at their other ends and reversible relative thereto, said Vmember being adjustable longitudinally to hold the bars positively spaced apart a. selected distance, and a leg supporting member movably mounted on one of the bars and reversible thereon.

8. In a splint a frame for attachment to the body and legs of a patient including bars adjustably connected at one end and a rigid body bridging member secured at its ends to the bars at their other ends and reversible relative thereto, said member being adjustable longitudinally to hold the bars positively spaced apart a selected distance, a leg supporting member movably mounted on one of the bars and reversible thereon, and a tension deviceconnecting said member to the frame.

BERT W. CULVER. CHARLES J. CARLISLE. 

